Knocking on His Door
by Laurnadoon
Summary: After he defeats Demise, Link gets a surprising wake up call from his favorite spirit maiden.


A soft rapt echoed its way through the room, reverberating off the walls and furniture in the still silence. A minute passed and the knocking came once again, louder and more persistent. The figure beneath the covers shifted in a rustling sweep.

A sandy haired boy arose and massaged the sleep from his eyes. Swinging his feet out of the covers into the frigid night, he stood and stretched his back skyward, listening as his back released a few gratifying pops. A gusty sigh escaped his lips and his eyes flickered open, reveling the crystal blue that hid beneath. A frustrated sigh reached his pointed ears, heightened in sensitivity from his many trials and journeys on the surface. He crossed his room in a few quick strides as loud thuds emitted from his locked door. With a sure hand he grasped the cold metal doorknob and wrenched the door open.

Suddenly a fist closed the space between the boy and his waker, slamming hard into his chest. A startled cry emitted from the girl in her surprise when her fist didn't come into contact with her best friend's bedroom door.

"Link…" She stated breathlessly, "Your chest is a lot harder than I remember…"

He chuckled, bouncing Zelda's fist loose with his hearty laughter. He placed both of his hands over hers, pressing it against his steadily beating heart. He leaned in to her so that the tips of their noses were barely touching. Staring deeply into her eyes with the upmost sincerity, he smiled broadly. "I'm so happy to have you back Zelda."

She smiled graciously as her cheeks flushed deeply. "I am so happy to be back," She replied with relief lacing her words, "and thank you for saving me…for everything."

"Is that why you came here? To express your gratitude…again? You have already told me how much you appreciate me. And every time you do, how do I reply?" He cocked his head in feigned interest and Zelda giggled delightfully.

Her chest rumbling with the low tones she was emitting, Zelda tried her best to imitate her friend's sultry baritone. "You never need to thank me because I would have done it anyway."

"That's what you think I sound like!" Link cried in a fit of laughter.

Zelda pasted a pretty pout on her face as she feigned hurt. "Hey I did my best! What more can you possibly ask of me?"

"Nothing," Link chuckled. "Nothing at all." The boy let out a wolfish grin as he pulled his best friend into a bone-crushing embrace.

Suddenly the laughter died inside him and his eyes extinguished their inner light. He held Zelda at arm length and captured her eyes with his gaze. "You know I don't expect anything from you, right? No repayments, no words of gratitude, nothing got it? My greatest desire is to see that you are here, safe, and smiling like you were before. Everything I need is right here. I am never leaving your side…ever again. You're the most important person in the world to me, and my dearest friend. You know that, right?"

Zelda finally allowed herself to break eye contact with a quick blink. Tears leaked from the corners of her eyes. She looked down, embarrassed. She never cried. Not once during the whole journey…so why now at the end?

Link took hold of both of her hands and sat her down on his bed. Kneeling in front of her he carefully caressed her cheeks with his thumbs, whipping away the proof of her pain and sadness. He sat next to her and took hold of her hand, tracing soothing circles around her palm with a practiced and gentile touch.

After a few minutes of silence, Zelda looked up at him, and with a push of her legs she slid into his lap. A little surprised by her sudden movement, Link released her hand and gave her a quizzical stare. Slowly she wrapped her arms around his waist and relaxed her weight into his torso.

"Please Link," She whispered softly. "Hold me."

He obliged her wish without restraint. She knew he would give her whatever she wanted, but smiled gratefully anyway as he pulled her close. She breathed in deeply and sighed with contentment. She couldn't imagine a better place to be than in his arms, for she needed the comfort only he could give her. He buried his face in her hair, relishing the moment, being close to her. He felt her body rise in fall as she let out an exasperated and exhausted sigh. They had both been through so much…

In the past month he had lost her to an evil twister, been entrusted with a sword of the goddesses, been told that he is the chosen hero and that she is the spirit maiden, found out that their destinies have been intertwined since history itself began, travelled to the surface, completed many trials and battled even more monsters, found her only to let her go again and again, no matter how much he wanted to take her home and cradle her in his arms. He followed instructions, travelled to another time, laid his life on the line, and did what was required of him gladly knowing that soon they would be together like they were before.

And now, finally she was home, she was safe…

The chosen hero fell back onto his bed, pulling his spirit maiden with him. He was never going to let her go. He had done so much to save her, to bring her home, to be together with her, always…

"Zelda…" He breathed into her hair, and nuzzled his face deeper into her neck.

"Hmm?" Link felt her back rumble as she moaned in response. He only grasped her tighter.

"Look at me please," he requested quietly. She obliged him, rotating herself in his arms so that they were face to face and folding her arms against his chest. Link's chest expanded toward her as he inhaled deeply and connected their foreheads.

"I can't believe I didn't see this before…I knew you were important to me…in fact you will always be the most important person in the world to me. I was so naïve, I didn't see what was there." He whispered to her, shifting constantly in his nervousness. Zelda remained silent, her eyes causing electricity to run through his veins, his heart to pump faster, and his blood to rush.

With an audible gulp he continued, "There were so many times when I felt that death was on my doorstep, that I would never get the chance to see you again. The times I did were torturous, knowing that I could not take you away from your destiny, and that I could not escape mine. Watching you go on ahead, unsure of the dangers that awaited you. I never felt good enough, fast enough, or strong enough to be there for you when I knew that I had to be…"

Zelda watched her best friend struggle through his speech. She saw the torment in his watering eyes and the longing in his expression. Link watched as understanding dawned on her face, giving him the courage to continue.

"I wondered why the goddess chose me to protect you, when they could have picked someone so much stronger or more able." He said slowly and deliberately, laboring his worry on every word.

Then his face flushed red and he drew a great breath. He spoke more quickly now and pulled Zelda into his chest so she could feel his frantically beating heart. "Then I felt unspeakable anger surge through me when that bastard Ghirahim spoke about you with such disrespect, like your soul was a prize that he deserved. I surprised him with my strength that day…and I realized it was because of you. You gave me that strength. I had such a strong desire to protect you, to keep you safe that every part of my being throbbed with the burning desire to slit his throat."

Zelda reached a delicate hand up to caress his searing cheek. Her hand was cool and soft. Link cherished her kindness. He cradled her smooth hand in both of his and brought it to his lips.

"We have been the best of friends since childhood, but Zelda…we are not children anymore…" With this she looked up into his face and his eyes were there, forever steadfast on hers.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is…well my affection for you has grown." Zelda raised an eyebrow at her companion, clearly inquisitive to his intentions with this speech.

"The reason I went through this whole ordeal was because I wanted to see you again…to hold you again." Link breathed into her hair and traced patterns with his fingertips on her slender back. Then suddenly he pulled her away from him to look at her full in the face. He spoke with the strength and certainty that came from a man, not a boy. "I gained courage from your steadfast belief in me. I gained wisdom from the lessons that you taught me. And I gained power from my desire to see you again. The reason I am who I have grown to be is because of you…and your belief in me."

He sighed heavily and continued. "The truth of the matter is that you are my reason for living. I would go to the ends of the earth to keep you safe, and I think the goddess inside you knows why…I certainly do, even though it took me a little long to figure it out."

Zelda's eyes shined with unshed tears of happiness as she realized that she did know why. She knew why she chose him to be the hero, she knew why he succeeded in winning her back, and she knew why she would always be protected.

Link caressed her cheek with his hand and brought her eyes up to meet his. He smiled kindly and proudly stated, "I am in love with you, Zelda."

With these words he brought his lips down to meet hers. He kissed her deeply, with all the pent up emotion that raged through his blood. After a short time he pulled away and pulled her closer, connecting their foreheads once again. Zelda's tears came in full force now with a jubilant smile gracing her features. She laced her arms behind his neck and pulled his lips to hers. He obliged to her wishes, kissing her again and again and again.

When he finally pulled away he looked into her eyes and said, "Be a goddess reincarnate or not…you will always be my Zelda, and nothing in the sky or on the surface will ever change that."


End file.
